Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School is the sequel to the 2022 game and is looking to expand on the first game with a story-driven campus while problem-solving puzzles. We had the opportunity to demo the escape room game at Summer Game Fest.

Living the Campus Life

Unlike the first game, players can roam the college campus, making it feel more open. However, not every room is accessible, as players must acquire a certain amount of “currency” to bypass the locked doors and progress the game. To earn these rewards, you’ll need to tackle available escape rooms.

Each room carries a unique theme with clues scattered around the room. From posters on the wall to notes on a chalkboard, you’ll need to use your brain to overcome the puzzle. Based on the demo I played, I encountered a few challenges while trying to solve some of the puzzles, but ultimately, solving them felt satisfying. Using a poster to interact helped figure out the steps needed to solve the puzzle of adding electricity back to the heated lamp for the classroom’s pet chicken. The chemistry-themed room was challenging, but having another player with you would reduce the mental strain.

Two of the rooms played were based on biology and chemistry. I would expect to see additional class subject themes the further you play. Playing the demo in solo mode, I can see playing with friends offline and online can make the experience more entertaining and rewarding.

Controlling my custom avatar took some time using a console controller and threw me off, but a simple control setting adjustment will fix that. With the game releasing in September, a busy month of video games, it’s leaning toward being an entertaining title for players to use more of their brainpower. You might even become an instructor once everything is complete. While the game is coming to Xbox platforms and PC (Steam), hopefully other platforms will receive the next Escape Academy game with hopefully crossplay for more to experience.

Escape Academy 2: Back 2 School is set to launch in September 2026 for PC and Xbox platforms. Fans can wishlist the game now on Steam and Xbox. We appreciate iam8bit giving us the opportunity to test out our problem-solving skills at the Summer Game Fest.